Man lift



Jan. 30, 1923.

1,443,823. C. H. MILLER. MAN LIFT.

FILED OCT. 25, 1921- 5 SHEETSSHEET 1- Jan. 30, 1923. I 1,443,823.

C. H. MILLER.

MAN LIFT. man OCT. 25. 1921'. 5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

5; G g i /0 5 9 /0 a vwz 141 M .mj fiflleia lab}??? I Jan. 30, 1923.1,443,823.

a C. H. MILLER.

MAN LIFT. v FILED OCT. 25, 1921.. i 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- 8 moawlfozFatented Jan. 30, 1923.

warren mm PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. MILLER, OF LIBERTY'TOWNSHIP, JEFFERSON COUNTY, IOWA.

MAN LIFT.

Application filed October 25, 1921. Serial N0. 510,212.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. MILLER,

a citizen of the United States, residing in This invention relates toelevators such as are actuated by the passenger, and more especially tothe brakes therefor; and the object of the same primarily is to simplifyand yet improve the construction set forth in my United States PatentNumber 1,382,211 issued June 21, 1921. Substantially the same principleof operation prevails herein, but for the toggle mechanism and linkageof my former patent I have substituted a simpler automatic brake hereincomposed of a plurality of triangles linked to rock in unison and applythe brakes with great power excepting only when the carriage contains apassenger of average weight.

Structural details are simplified so that greater strength is securedwith less total weight. The reader is referred to my formerpatent for afull description of the operation of a lift of this kind. The followingspecification gives the operation briefly and the structure of partsasshown on the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevationof this manlift showing the position the parts assume when its platformbears a passenger of average weight, the brakes being released.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the upper portion of the lift slightlymodified, the brakes here being applied.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the preferred form of rocker, showinghow its cam face passes the roller under the impulse of pressure on thepedal. I

Figs. 4 to 8 are sectional views taken on lines in Fig. 1 bearing thesame numbers respectively.

Fig. 9 is an elevation and Fig. 10 a section-both enlargedto show thecrown and thii. attachment of the yokes to the master bo t.

Fig. 11 is a plan View of the platform, showing some of the floor platesremoved.

The car frame is a rolled steel T-bar whose shank is cut and mitered sothat the bar can be bent twice at right angles to produce a horizontalsi-ll 3 standing below the platform and two upright side arms 1, 1connected by a pair of beams 2 of U-shape with their backs toward eachother but spaced for theparts which must pass between them; thus theentire frame is U- shaped in side elevation with its arms connected neartheir upper ends, as seen in Fig. 1. The heads of the side arms 1 areoutermost, and as the car ascends and descends these heads travel insidesteel strips or bands 4: secured within and extending the full length ofthe elevator shaft; also provision may be made to have said heads engagethe usual shaft guides if desired. The side bars 1 are reinforced attheir upper ends by strips 6 secured to the edge of the T-shank, and.also secured between the beams 2 as seen in Fig. 7; and these stripsstand within the upper portion orv head of the car. .Within its lowerportion is movably mounted the carriage which includes the platform andits supports. Links 7 loosely connect the upper ends of the side arms 1with a crown (see Figs. 9 and 10) made up of two L-plates 8 rivetedtogether and pierced by a master bolt 9, and two yokes 10 hang from thisbolt with their arms diverging in pairs, being secured in plates 11 asseen in Figure 8. Spaced spreader bars 12 are secured beneath theplates, and they have rollers 13 contacting with the side arms 1 asshown. From said blade 16bolted between the plates 8, pass-' ing thenceloosely between the beams 2, and

welded as at 17 betweenthe centers ofthe bars 12; and this blade has ashoulder 18 for a purpose toappear.

The platform (Figures 1 and 11) may be variously made. As hereshown,f0ur joists 20 are held parallel by cross bars 21 of L- iron, andfloor boards or plates 22 are secured thereon. Brackets 23 carry rollers24 serving as guides on the side arms '1; and Figure 11 shows blocks 25which may be employed when the manlift is used in a the platform is astandard or bracket 26 carrying a pulley 27 for an. operating rope Rsecured at its upper and lowercnds within the elevator shaft and makinga double or S-bend within the car. After leading under this pulley, therope passes upward. over another pulley 2S pivoted at 29 to one of thebeams 2, and thence downward wit in the shaft; and hence the operatoralways has" a stretch of rope .on which to draw downward, whether hedesires to ascend or descend. 7

The T-head of each side arm 1 opposite the reinforce is enclosed inU-bar constituting a brake shoe 31 and the contiguous faces of the shoeand jaw may have appropriate brake lining it desired. The webs oi eachshoe pass the edges of the jaw and are connected by bolts 30 passingthrough slots 32 in the T-stem so that the shoe may move horizontallybut not longitudinally with respect to the jaw. Qn the uppermost boltare pivoted twin triangular brake levers 33, and on the other boltsother twin but smaller triangles 3%. all pivots being at the centers ofthe bases of the triangles; while links 35 are pivoted to the trianglesand cause them to'turn in unison on their pivots. The inner ends 01 thelarger triangles or levers 33 straddle the bar '16 and have rollers 37which underlie the l.. plates 8 of the crown. If desired, the link beextended downward as at 35 and a contractile spring 38 connects it witha bracket or ear 39 on the frame. as seen in Figure i.

From a counterbalancing weight il :1 eable C leads over pulleys. downthe shaft,

and is it-seli forked or is connected with fork arms 33' which in turnare connected with the brake levers 33. he parts are of such weightthat, when a pas enger of average weight steps upon the platform issupposed to be the case in Fig. l. the bar 16 is moved downward withrespect to the head which latter is held. to the straps l by the grip ofthe brakes, all triangles turn on their pivot-s, and the brakes areautomatically released; hence the weight W should counterbalance the carand a passenger of average weight. If child or a person below averageweight steps onto the platform. the parts remain as in Fig. 2 and thecar at rest clamped to the strips at; hence additional weights must beplaced on the platform to bring the effective weight or the passenger upto average, and these can be placed on the ground floor and at eachlanding for the purpose. If an overweight passenger steps on theplatform, the levers 33 are swung down beyond the horizontal positionshown in Fig. 1, and the brakes are automatically applied; also thisoccurs if the cable C should part under any condition. Hence I providean internally threaded tube 40 carried by the beams 2, a screw 41 en'-gaging the same from below and e tendh a but within reach of an adultstanding on the platform. By running up this screw and putting thespring under more or less tension, the effect of overweight overcome.

The toot-controlled brake mechanism includes means for drawing the shoesinto gripping contact with the stray hy spring pressure. and a pedalnear the platform connected with such means whe by i be overcome orcased oil by the passenger will. A U-shaped brake red 50 leads inwardfrom the left shoe and is connect d with the upper end of a brake lever51.. while a U-shaped brake rod 52 leads inward from the rightshoe andis connected with sa f lever at a lower point. A link 53 connects thelower end of said lever with. a point near the upper angle asubstantially triangular rocker and a second link leads from just abovesuch point inward and is connected with a contracti e spring 56 tachedto some part of the mechanism hencethe spring normally applies t..ebrakes. while also it normally swings the lower angle 58 of the rockeraway from the bar 143 as seen in Fig. 2. Near this angle the rocker hasa pin 57 moving in a slot 59 in the beams 2., or the pin 67 may move inloop straps 69 as seen in Fig 3 and it. t serve the purpose of the angle58 as desr ibed be low. Just below the remaining angle 60 oi the rockerit is formed with a cam face 61 riding over a roller or pin 62, and theangle 60 clears this roller when the angle 58 (or pin 67) swings overthe shoulder 18 as seen in Fig. 1. Pivoted to the rocker near the camface is a link 63 which leads to a lever 64;, and from the latter a rodleads downward to a pedal 66 mounted near i l pla form.

W'ith an underweight person on the platform, the foot brakes may not bereleased. but as soon as the platform descends (as dcscribed above)until the shoulder 18 passes the rocker the passenger may use the pedal.at will to release or ease off the foot brakes and permit the lift toascend or descend as he wishes.

lVhat is claimed as new is:

1. In a manlit't, the combination with a car including a head andcarriage traveling on the shaft. guides. a weight substantiallycounterbalancing the car and the average passenger, and acable leadingfrom. the weight; of rocking brake shoes in said head coacting with saidguides and having levers. said cable being attachedto said. levers forswinging them and applying the shoes when the car has no passenger, andconnections between said levers and the carriage whereby connectionsbetween them'and said brakelevers. whereby all brakes work in unison 3.The structure specified in claim 1 plus:

means whereby the levers are swung and the shoes applied when the cableparts.

4-. The structure specified in claim 1 plus: means whereby the leversare swung and the shoes automatically applied by an overweightpassenger, and means whereby he can nullify his excess effective weight.

5. The structure specified in claim 1 plus: an upright bar rising fromthe carriage between said levers and having a crown overlying theirinner ends. and links loosely connecting the crown and head.

6. The structure specified in claim 1, plus: a second brake mechanismnormally applied, and passenger control mechanism therefor leading tothe carriage.

7. The structure specified in claim 1 plus: a second brake mechanism, aspring for nor mally applying the same, releasing means therefor leadingto the carriage, and means carried by the carriage for preventing theaction of the releasing means until said carriage descends with respectto said head.

8. The structure specified in claim lplus: a second brake mechanismincluding a rocker, means for normally applying this brake, releasingmeans therefor leading to the carriage, and a bar rising from the carriage and having a shoulder preventing the movement of the rocker torelease this brake until said carriage descends with respect to saidhead.

9. In a manlift, the combination with a car comprising a head and acarriage movably connected and traveling on guides, brake mechanism inthe head for application to said guides by the rise or descent of thecarriage with respect to the head, a cable leading from a. weightsubstantially counterbalancing the car and the average passenger, andconnections between said cable and brake mechanism whereby the latter isreleased by the weight of the average passenger only; of asecond brakemechanism within the head, a spring for normally applying it to saidguides, passenger operated means for releasing this brake, and a barrising from the carriage and having a shoulder so disposed as to preventthe release of this brake until the carriage is loaded up to the weightof the average passenger.

10. In an elevator brake, the combination with guide strips fixed in theshaft; of the car whose frame includes side arms traveling inside saidstrips, U-shaped brake shoes enclosing said strips and their webspassing the arms, triangular brake levers pivoted to said webs andcoacting with said arms, means for'rocking the levers, and independ entmeans for drawing said sh es inward.

11. The structure specified in claim 10, plus: the first means beingcontrolled by the load on the elevator and the secend under the controlof its passenger. 1

12. The 5 structure specified in claim 11, plus: means to prevent therelease of the passenger-controlled brake while the car is empty orloaded with less than the weight of the average passenger.

18. In an elevator brake, the combination with guide strips fixed in theshaft, and the car whose frame includes T-shaped side arms with theirheads traveling inside said strips and constituting jaws and beamsrigidly connecting the T-shanks; of U shaped brake shoes enclosing saidstrips and their webs passing the edges of said jaws, and means fordrawing the shoes toward the aws. v

14. The structure specified in, claim 13, plus: said T-sha-nks havinghorizontal slots, bolts through such slots connecting the webs of theshoes, twin triangles pivoted on said bolts with their bases coactingwith the T- heads, and means for rocking the triangles.

15. In an elevator brake, the combination with the shoes, brake lever,and connecting rods; of a substantially triangular rocker. mounted on amovable fulcrum near one angle and having a cam face near another, alinkconnecting said lever with the rocker near its remaining angle, meansfor normally applying the brakes, and manual control means connected tothe rocker near its cam, the whole for operation as specified.

16. The structureaspecified in claim 15, plus: a roller over which saidca-m' face travels when the control means is actuated whereby thefulcrum point changes, and a shoulder coacting with the angle near thefulcrum at this time, for the purpose specified.

17. An elevator structure comprising a U-shaped frame, guides for itsside arms, a platform movably mounted in the lower portion of the frame,spreader bars movably mounted therein at higher point, connectionsbetween the platform and bars, a crown above the bars and connected withthem, levers pivoted in the frame with their inner ends underlying saidcrown, and a supporting cable branched andlconnected with said levers.

18. The structure specified in claim 17 plus: the frame being of T-ironwith its head next said guides, and brake shoes enclosing the. guidesand the T-heads of the side bars of the frame, said levers actuatingsuch brakes.

19. An elevator structure comprising a U-shaped frame of T-iron bentinto a sill and two upright side arms, the T-heads of the letteraflagterl to slide on guides in the shaft esins connecting the arms neartheir i pet: enrls spreader bars below the beams having rollers mom blyengaging said arms, an uprightcentral ear rising rigidly from thespreader hers and having a. crown, A- shapecl yokes Whose angles areattached to the crown and Whose arms are attached to the spreader bars,aplatform above the frame sill and having rollers movably en- 10 gagingits arms, and truss rocls hung from the spreader bars with their centersunderlying the platform.

In testimony whereof I a-tfix my signature.

CHARLES H. MILLER.

